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14 Indiana University Publications, Folklore Series
dozen instances, however, I have found English and Scottish traditional ballads being taught to small children by their parents and grandparents.
TYPES OF FOLKSONG RECOVERED
The songs thus far collected in Indiana fall roughly into the following groups: 1, English and Scottish traditional ballads; 2, later ballads (both Old World and American); 3, game-songs; 4, folk-lyrics (chiefly English and American); 5, songs more or less definitely Hoosier in character; and 6, carols.
TREATMENT OF TEXTS AND TUNES
In the case of texts, a scrupulous adherence to the original copy furnished by the contributor has been our aim. Where demonstrably incorrect renderings appear, necessary corrections have been made and the original given in a footnote. Suggested readings have been indicated in the notes by questions. Errors in spelling have been corrected except in the case of archaic words, where the original spelling has been retained. At no time has there been any intention of "improving" a text, or any attempt to do so.
No pains have been spared to take down the tunes of the following songs exactly as they were sung by their contributors. A very small percentage of tunes was sent in already noted, by far the greater number having been taken down by Mrs. JohnÂson and by Miss Lucile Wilkin, of Connersville, while they were being sung. After the air was noted, it was played or sung over to the singer, who passed judgment upon the correctness of the transcription, pointing out any variations or necessary changes.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
There remains, finally, the pleasant task of recording here my indebtedness to various persons for information and counsel. To the friendly interest of Professor Ralph S. Boggs, my old inÂstructor in folklore, I owe the honor of having been invited in 1935 to read before the Popular Literature Section of the Modern Language Association of America a paper on the folksongs of Indiana, and thus to bring this material to the attention of f olk-lorists present at that meeting. To Professor George Lyman |
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